Melissa Wirtz, 2014 Goldwater Scholar

CSU Goldwater Scholar Melissa Wirtz is an Electrical Engineering major in her junior year at CSU and is originally from Corrales, New Mexico.

Melissa first began conducting research in high school when she was selected as a STEM Teacher and Researcher High School (STAR) Fellow at Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There, she helped create new chemical compounds under the direction of Dr. Richard Kemp. Impressed by Melissa's aptitude for research, Dr. Kemp has asked that she return to his lab every summer since. Last summer, she participated in the International Institute of Nanotechnology Research Experience for Undergraduates at Northwestern University and conducted research in nanotechnology.

This summer, Melissa will be interning in an engineering group at Sandia National Labs in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She hopes to use her knowledge and skills gained from her time at CSU to contribute in areas such as renewable energy, medical devices, or defense, and she also plans to pursue a higher degree after her bachelors. When Melissa isn't doing homework or research, she enjoys playing piano and guitar, rock climbing, and sightseeing.